The MTRA, which is made up of trade associations such as the BCC and trade unions, has been lobbying Government on issues such as Chinese dumping. Dr Cohen says the bill fails to adequately address these concerns.

She said: “We have been meeting with officials regularly to raise our concerns that the Government’s approach to trade remedies, which will put thousands of jobs at risk.

“We entered those meetings in good faith, but the White Paper ignored the issues we raised. The announcement that ministers are pressing ahead with the Trade Bill, clearly without considering our further evidence, is bad news for UK manufacturing.”

Other members of the MRTA include British Glass, the Chemical Industries Association and the GMB and Unite unions.

Read More

Tony Burke, assistant general secretary of the Unite, said: “The Government needed to give trade remedies a major rethink before publishing the bill. Unlike in the new EU system, the Government plans to do nothing to maintain labour or environmental standards around the world. This ultra-liberal approach will open the flood gates to cheap and illegally dumped imports such as steel, tyres, ceramics, glass and fertilisers. There is a real risk our UK manufacturing industries will be devastated costing thousands of well-paid and high-quality jobs.”

Stoke-on-Trent MPs Ruth Smeeth and Gareth Snell have previously criticised the Department for Exiting the EU for failing to prepare a Brexit impact assessment for the ceramics industry.

poll loading

Do you think Staffordshire businesses will benefit from Brexit?

0+ VOTES SO FAR

Ms Smeeth said the timing of the bill’s publication, within hours of the consultation deadline, raised further concerns.

She tweeted: “There are significant questions to be answered. Has the government actually paid attention to their own consultation?”

The Trade Bill, which will be debated by MPs in the coming days, will create powers to assist in the transition of over 40 existing trade agreements between the EU and other countries.

Read More

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said: “For the first time in over 40 years the UK will be able to shape our own trade and investment agenda – and we are determined that businesses and consumers can take advantage of this opportunity.

“We are getting on with delivering a successful Brexit, by seeking a deep and special partnership with the EU, and by boosting our existing trading relationships with old partners while opening up access to new and exciting markets across the world.”